Sharp convergence
MV3 + TypeScript + Vite + React + HMR is now the fresh-project default, even though older webpack and MV2-era repos still hold substantial star weight.
Sector Radar
Chrome Extension Starters
Diversum analyzed 24 fork-and-build Chrome extension starter repositories to map the 2026 default pattern, where builders still have meaningful choices, and which search results are historical rather than current-era starting points.
Corpus denominator: 24 in-cluster Chrome Extension Starters. Evidence snapshot: 2026-05-12.
Interactive evidence graph
Explore why starter repositories cluster together.
Connections are generated from report evidence: shared centroid traits, build tool, UI framework, extension surface, and manifest generation.
What we found
A modern default has formed very quickly.
This is a radar, not a leaderboard. The report maps sector position and evidence patterns rather than declaring winners.
Low differentiation
54% of the corpus are Strong Defaults: real, useful starters that are hard to distinguish once a builder has chosen the modern stack.
No inactive scaffolds
Every in-cluster repo shows real human engineering. This starter sector filters out empty scaffolds more effectively than younger AI tooling sectors.
Open surface gaps
No in-cluster starter fully owns the MV3 side panel opportunity, full-surface scaffolding, and no-framework TypeScript path at the same time.
Read next
Report artifacts
Public methodology and source artifacts are published so readers can inspect the work, request corrections, and compare this radar to future sectors.
Full report
Executive summary, cluster map, key findings, sector health, reader actions, and score appendix.
Evidence graph
Interactive 3D map of repo connections by centroid traits, build tool, framework, extension surface, and manifest generation.
Chart-ready data
Cluster composition, health metrics, centroid traits, build tools, frameworks, and score matrix.
Centroid definition
The 10-trait Chrome Extension Starter default and boundary decisions.
Calibration table
All 24 repositories scored across five radar dimensions with public-safe roles.